Spirit level



Patented pr. 12, 1927.

l,ti24,16lf

JACOBA DAY, OF'A DULUTH, MNNESGTA.

SPIRIT LEVEL.

Application led Marchi; 1926.

This invention relates to an iinprovel spirit level'y and seeks among other-objects, to provide a device of this character ein-k bodyin-g a nove-l bubble-glass mounting.

The invention seeks, as` afurther object, to. provide a device whereinthe bubble-glass maybe adjustably rockediby the adjusting screws providedand heldinadjusted positionnf'ithout appreciablepressure on said screws to work theni loose.

A furtherolaject of' theinvention is to provide ainovel .clip -for holding lthe-bubbleglass and whereinthe stoclrof the levelvwill beforincdl in un improved manner to aeconnnodate the clip.

Andtheinvention seeks, as a still further object, t0 provide a devicewherein the bubble-glass will be so mounted that expansion or contraction ofthe glass cannot resultlin fracture of the glass while,.at the seine tinie,.the glass willbe rinly held upon. the. clip therefor.

Other objects of. the invention notA specifically mentioned. in the foregoing will appear during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is aside elevetionlofr niy iinprovedrlevel," parts beingl brolren away and Shownin section.

Eigurev2 is :inedge elevstionof the level looking at the` bottoni edge thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional/view on the-lineY 3 3 of'Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated bythe arrows.

Figure Ll is a perspective view particularly. showing one of the hubbleglass clips as einployed neer the ends ofi the levely stoel-1.

igure 5 is a, perspective view showing thelJubble-glass clip employed at the middle ofthe stock.

In: ca rying the invention into effect,` l.

employ as stock 10 which is preferably ot'4 wood,`. and. formed in the stock near each end: thereof is a transverse sight opening 1l, at oppositesides of which are sniuller openings 12 and 13, the latter opening` being connected with the sight opening 11 by en intervening slot lntersecting euch of the openings 11 is a pair of alined flat openings` 14: and 15, and=lyingin a. plane with each pair of openings 1/-1 and 15 is a slot 16 opening through the top and bottoni edges of the stock.

Mounted in each of the slots 1G is a clip 17, one of which is shown in Figure of Serial sNo; 91,605.l

openings 14 and v15 of the stock-and eXtend- Y ing transversely through the lugs. 20 ofA said clips at the sleeves 22, are pivot screws 23 supporting the clips for rocking movement; within the slots 16. As will be observed, the wings of the clips-projectinto the openings 12 and 13, and screwed throughnthe stoel: from the bottoni edge thereofk tocoact with the lower edgesof the clips near the ends.thereof,' are adjusting screws 2e, countersunk in the stock.

Clamped at their ends inthe sleeves 21 and f 22ofthe-clips 17 ere bubble-glasses25, and wrnppedabout the ends ofthe glasses are yieldable gaskets 2d These gaskets ine-y be forined of rubber lilled.Y fabric tape, ordi nary electriciens tape, or other suitable;ma terial, and, .es shown in -Figure completely surround the ends of the bubble-glasses to provide cushioningl elements yingbetween the ends of the bubble-glasses and the sleeves ofthe clips. Asshown in Figure. 27` the slots 16 are of a width .to snugly receive: the clips so that: the wings 18 ofthe. clips will be inore or less-tightly held together for clamping the sleevesabout. the gaskets 264so thaty the bubble-glasses will thus be firmly held upon the clips. At' thesame tiniethe gaskets will serve to cushion the bubble-glasses .against shock and willaccorn inodnte any expunsion or contractionof the glasses to prevent fracture thereof.

)is will now 'be seen in view of the foregoing, by adjusting the screws 24, the clipsv l? nniy be rocked in the slots 16 ofthe. stock l() for accurately adjusting the position of' the bubble-glasses 25 with respect to, the ends of the stock 10 and by advancing the pair of screws associated with each clip until the inner ends of the screws abut the clip, the clipl will be iirinly held in adjusted position. However, in order to thus hold the clips in adjusted position, the screws need not be advanced to unduly bind against the clips so that the screws will not be subjected to any pressure such as would result in loosening of the screws. Should one of the bubble-glasses become broken, the clip of said glass may, by removing the pivot screw 23 of the clip, be readily pushed from its slot 16 of the stock, when the wings of the clip may, as suggested in Figure 4, be swung apart to free the broken bubble-glass and permit the ready insertion of a new glass. rlhe clip may then, of course, be readily replaced, as will be at once understood in view of the foregoing description, when the adjusting screws of the clip may be reset for adjusting the position of the bubble-glass.

In conjunction with the bubblesglasses near the ends of the stock, l also provide a bubble-glass at .the middle of the stock. Formed in the stock at a point substantially mid-way between the ends thereof is an elongated sight opening 27, and intersecting said opening is a pair of alined flat openings 28 and 29 similar to the openings 14 and 15. Lying in a plane with the openings 28 and 29 is a slot 80 like the slot 16, and snugly accommodated in the slot 30 is a clip 81, shown in detail in Figure 5 of the drawings. This clip is preferably formed from a piece of suitable resilient sheet metal bent upon itself to provide overlapping wings 82, and formed in said wings are registering sight openings 33, at the ends of which are sleeves 311. Formed on the wings, at their lower edges, are mating lugs 85, and extending through said lugs across the opening 29 of Vthe stock is a pivot screw 86 mounting the clip for rocking movement. Clamped at its ends in the sleeves 3d is a bubble-glass 37 like the bubble-glasses 25, and surrounding the ends of the glass 87 are gaskets 88 like the gaskets 26. Extending through the stock from the bottoni edge thereof are countersunk adjusting screws 89 which are like the screws 24 and are disposed to coaet with the ends of the clip, the screws being adjustable, as will be understood in view of the foregoing description, for rocking the clip and adjusting the position of the bubbleglass 37. rlhe slot 30 is, of course, of a width to snugly receive the clip 31 so that the sleeves 3d will be firmly held about the ends of the bubble-glass while, however, the gaskets 38 will accommodate expansion or contraction of the glass and, as will be seen, the bubble-glass may be viewed from the upper edO'e of the stock through the opening 28. i s will be observed, the lower edges of the wings of the clip 81 are visible at the Y bottom of the opening 27 of the stock and, likewise, the lower edges of the wings of the clips 17 are visible at the openings 12 and 13 of the stock. Accordingly, in adjusting the pairs of screws 24 and 39, the operator may see that both screws of each pair abut the lower edges of the clips respectively, while also, mutilation of the clips by the improper adjustment of the screwsmay be avoided.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 claim is:

1. A level including a stock having a slot therein and provided with a sight opening extending transversely of the slot and intersecting the same, a clip formed from a strip of material folded to provide coacting wings, the clip being snugly accommodated in said slot whereby the wings thereof are held in abutting relation, said wings being formed with registering openings alined with the sight opening of the stock and being crimped to form a slee-ve intersected by the registering openings, a bubble glass clampedV between the sleeve forming portions of said wings and extending across the sight openings of the clip and stock, means pivotally mounting the clip upon the stock, and means adjustable upon the stock for engaging the clip at opposite sides of the pivot means and rocking the clip to adjust the position of the bubble glass relative to the stock.

2. A. level including a stock formed with a slot, the stoel-I being also formed with a sight opening intersecting the intermediate portion of said slot and with other sight openings intersecting the end portions of the slot, a clip consisting of a strip of resilient material folded to provide companion wings, said wings having registering sight openings therein and at opposite sides 0f their sight openings crimped to provide sleeve portions, a bubble glass extending across the sight openings of the wings and having its end portions seated in the sleeve portions of the wings, said clip being fitted into the slot of said stock with the bubble glass in operative relation to the first sight opening of the stock and the end portions of the clip viewed through the other sight openings pf the stock, adjusting screws threaded into the stock and having end por tions visible through the last-mentioned sight openings thereof and engaging the end portions of said clip, and a pivot carried by said stock and engaging said clip intermediate its ends.

ln testimony whereof afIiX my signature.

.nicos DAY. [L sj. 

